How to Create and Format exFAT Partitions in Windows 11/10/8/7 (Free Methods）

Updated by

Tracy King 

Updated on Oct 29, 2024

What Partition Type is exFAT

exFAT (Extensible File Allocation Table) is one of the supported file systems released by Microsoft in 2006. It is compatible both on Windows and Mac and widely used on USB flash drives, memory cards, and thumb drives larger than 32GB.

What we like about exFAT: It works both on Windows and Mac, even works with Linux.

Read more:

Can I Partition exFAT Drive?

EaseUS Partition Master is a reliable disk management tool that optimizes disks and partitions for better performance and speed. Using this software, you are free to create, resize, move, format, delete, merge, check partitions on your HDD/SSD, SD card, and memory card. It supports multiple file systems includes exFAT, NTFS, FAT32, FAT, EXT2, EXT3, EXT4.

Now Windows 11 has been unveiled. Are you receive the update message? Have you been prone to making your drive ready for Windows 11? This Windows 11 upgrade tool can do more:

• Convert MBR to GPT, FAT to NTFS.
• Take one click to migrate OS to SSD.
• Manage or extend partitions on Windows 11 PC.
• Clone disk or partition.

This disk optimizer has featured Windows built-in utility don’t have. So if your disk management can not perform advanced functions like merging non-adjacent partitions and cloning all data to another new disk, you can try this disk manager.

How Do I Create A Drive in exFAT

To create exFAT partitions, if your disk has unallocated space, you can directly choose it and create a partition in exFAT. Otherwise, you need to free up some unallocated space first via the "Resize/Move" function.

How to Create exFAT partition with EaseUS Partition Master:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master. On the main window, right-click on the unallocated space on your hard drive or external storage device and select "Create".

Step 2. Adjust the partition size, file system (Choose the file system based on your need), label, etc. for the new partition and click "OK" to continue.

Step 3. Click on the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button and create a new partition by clicking "Apply".

Watch the following video tutorial and learn how to create a partition in NTFS, FAT, or EXT file system.

How to Format exFAT Partition for Windows and Mac Computer - 4 Ways

When it comes to formatting memory stick to exFAT, command line, Disk Management, and Windows Explorer are the common we've seen on many tutorials. Besides these two ways, you can choose a free format software to easily manage your USB drive.

Note: All data on the hard drive will be formatted if you apply the following methods. Please back up all important data on the device.

1. Format exFAT in Windows 11/10 with Command Line
2. Using Windows Explorer to Format Partitions to exFAT
3. Format Hard Drive to exFAT
4. How to Format Hard Drive to exFAT with Free exFAT Format Tool

1. Format exFAT in Windows 11/10 with Command Line

You can also format hard drive using command prompt.  

Step 1. Click the search icon and type cmd on the box. Then right-click Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator".

Step 2. Type diskpart and press Enter.

Step 3. Type command lines and enter:

• list volume
• select volume * (* stands your volume number.)
• format fs=exfat

Step 4. Once the formatting is finished, type exit to quit CMD.

2. Using Windows Explorer to Format Partitions to exFAT

Step 1. Connect your USB to the computer. And check whether the device is detected.

Follow the path to check: Open Windows Explorer > Click This PC from the left panel > Check USB on the "Devices and drives" tab.

Step 2. Right-click the USB drive and then select "Format" from the drop-down menu.

Step 3. Click the "File System" tab and choose "exFAT". Then set your "Volume Label".

Step 4. Click the "Start" to move forward.

3. Format Hard Drive to exFAT

Step 1. Press "Windows + X" and click the Disk Management from the menu.

Step 2. Right-click the hard drive or USB drive. Then select "Format".

Step 3. Select "exFAT" as your file system. Check the box of "Perform a quick format". Then click OK.

4. How to Format Hard Drive to exFAT with Free exFAT Format Tool

Compare with the command line and Windows Explorer, EaseUS Partition Master excels in easy steps and more partition functions for exFAT, like creating exFAT partitions we mentioned above, resizing exFAT partitions, shrinking exFAT partition, etc. Why not choose this free exFAT format tool? Follow the steps to format your disk.

Get a free download:

How to Format Disk to exFAT:

Step 1. Select the USB drive to format.

Connect the USB drive or pen drive to your computer. Download and launch EaseUS partition software. Right-click the USB drive you intend to format and choose "Format".

Step 2. Set the drive letter and file system on USB.

Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and cluster size to the selected partition, then click "OK".

Step 3. Check "Yes" to confirm formatting USB.

Click "Yes" if you see the Warning window. If you have important data on it, back up the data in advance.

Step 4. Apply the changes.

Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button first, and then click "Apply" to format the USB drive.

To Sum Up

If you prefer to use exFAT on your hard drives, SD cards, and USB drives, the methods on this post can help you create and format volumes in Windows 11/10/8/7 without any error. If you have not decided to click the "Execute" button on creating or formatting, the return key of EaseUS Partition Master will go back to the very first.